New Technology To Help Reduce Blood Shortages

FARMINGTON — The American Red Cross is introducing new technology at some of its mobile blood drives to help alleviate blood shortages.

“The new Mobile Collection System (MCS) lets the Connecticut Region make inroads toward collecting more red cells from some of our donors,” said Stanley Badon, MD, medical director for the American Red Cross, Connecticut Blood Services Region. “This is especially important during the summer, when blood collections fall to dangerously low levels.”

“When we talk about blood shortages, we are talking mostly about the shortage of red blood cells,” he explained. “Red cells are the component of the blood that carry oxygen, and are among the three major components obtained from a unit of whole blood after it has been donated and comes back to the blood center in Farmington.”  Plasma and platelets also come from a single whole blood unit collected in the traditional manner at mobile blood drives throughout the state.

The new MCS technology allows for the collection of two red blood cell units from each qualified blood donor — double the amount previously available per donor. How? This single-needle procedure takes only red cells. All other components — plasma, white cells, and platelets — are returned to the donor, along with a solution of saline designed to minimize any postdonation reactions due to a reduced amount of fluids.  MCS takes about the same amount of time to perform as a whole blood donation.

“MCS maximizes the donations of those donors who only have time to give blood once or twice each year,” commented Carolyn Mihalko, director of donor recruitment and outreach for the Connecticut Blood Services Region. “More important, it provides more of the blood components that hospitals demand, especially red cells from donors with blood groups O and B.”

MCS is now available at selected blood drives across Connecticut.

Because of the amount of red cells taken at the time of MCS donation, the criteria for MCS donation is slightly different than that for whole blood donations, and is different for men than it is for women. Men wishing to be MCS donors must be at least 5 feet, 1 inch tall and weigh 150 pounds. Women must be 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weigh at least 175 pounds. Everyone needs to be at least 17 years of age, and have a hematocrit — the proportion of the whole blood that is red cells — of 40 percent as measured at the blood drive on the day of donation.

Acknowledging the size discrepancies, Medical Director Ritchard Cable explained that women of a given size have less total blood volume than a man of the same size, thus the total red cells are more in a man than a women of the same size. To ensure only acceptable percentage of the total red cells are removed in one sitting, women have to be larger than men.

All MCS blood donors must wait at least 56 days since their last whole blood donation, or 112 days since their last MCS donation, in order to be eligible to donate through the MCS process.

MCS is one of two technologies introduced over the last several months to boost blood collections in Connecticut. The other technology, Trima, is available only at the American Red Cross Farmington Headquarters and allows up to five blood components (two red cells dosages, two platelet dosages and one plasma dosage) to be collected from a single donor; Trima donors have to meet the same physical requirements as do MCS donors.

Taking donor physiology and predonation platelet numbers into account, Trima’s specialized software provides a menu of blood product options that the donor may safely provide. Also, fluid replacement during the Trima process allows for fewer donor reactions. In addition, the collection of components can be adjusted, dependant upon hospital usage during a given time period.

Ms Mihalko, though, is quick to point out that whole blood donors, MCS donors, and Trima donors are still in short supply this summer, as they seem to be each summer.

“Donors are still needed to give the gift of life,” she said. “Donors can now choose the most convenient time, the most convenient place and the best method for them to donate blood. Let’s hope Connecticut good sports will step to the plate this summer and give blood.”

Anyone who is in generally good health, is 17 or older and weighs 110 pounds or more is usually able to give blood. Call 800-GIVE LIFE (800-448-3543) to make an appointment for any American Red Cross blood drive in Connecticut. Appointments can also be requested by visiting the website at www.bloodct.org.